The government said that the UK government has inquired about some contradictory reports of stopping of PCR tests done by the lab at Sri Jayewardenepura University, as the Lab was linked with Oxford University, in UK.

Higher Education Minister Bandula Gunawardane was replying a question raised at a meeting with Newspaper Editors and Media Heads Chaired by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees, also said that when raising such matters in the media and public, everyone should be careful so as not to raise an unnecessary issue out of it.

“The High Commissioner of UK had called and inquired about this matter since the Lab was linked with Oxford University,” the minister said.

“The University lab was an internationally accredited one that also collaborates on research work with Oxford and Harvard universities as well,” he said.

Meanwhile Director General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe said that they have decided to stop conducting PCR tests at the Sri Jayewardenepura University lab, in agreement with the university authorities. “We have reached to this agreement after several discussions with them due to some false positive reports that had come from it,” he said.